Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-03-19
THE RECORD MADE.
g BETTER TIMES, MORE WORK AND
HIGHER WAGES !l!r

10 a tCCoAu NutSh Will So~hSOAJ ~
recalled with pride by those in whose
hands its making was. Never has
there been more signal failure in the
performance of definite promises.
Especially is this true with reference
| to measures affecting the South, and
particularly Virginia.
The shibboleth Of the campaign OF
1884 is still fresh in the public mind.
+" Turn the rascals OUT was the
loudest cry. The opportunity was
given and the "rascalsn went. Then
followed investigation of the alleged
rascality, and the very accusers
themselves were forced to testify
to the honesty, the capacity, the
faithfulness to trust of those against
whom they had so bitterly inyeighed.
Examine the books,p was tho
next demand. The examination dis
closed no shadow of wrong doing.
Order, system, business manage
ment and official integrity and ca
pacity we're evidenced by every page
and item of the huge ledgers.
"Count the money in the Treasury
aud show where millions have been
stolen,n was echoed from hustings,
and when the count was made the
last copper due the government was
at hand to meet the demand. Splen-
did financial management, absolute
honesty, were attested at every step
in the search for fraud.
Reduce the surplus in the Treas
ury and relieve the people OF the
onerous exactions Of the robber tar
iff.n Two years have passed, and
yet not one measure has been added
to the statute books that even looks
to a reduction Of the national income
or adequate provision for Its judi.
cious expenditure.
Rehabilitate the navy and iortify
the COASTS Every proposition look
ing to the accomplishment of these
objects, was defeated in previous
Congresses, for the alleged reason
that the Democratic House was
afraid to trust the expenditure of
the money to q Republican admins
tration. In the 10th Congress a
Republican Senate sccrned to retail
ate IN kind, and looking solely to
the interests of the country and the
protection of the people and their
property, voted millions to be ex-
pended by a Democratic administra-
tion. But a Democratic House, reck-
less of promises, permits the meas.
ure to die.
"Abolish the Internal Revenue
and break up the nursery of spies
aud informers," was rallying about
of the Virginia Democracy, aud the
assurance was given that with the
advent of the unterrihedD would
come abolition of the "Infamous"
system. And yet every move to
carry out that promise has met with
ignominious defeat. The Republicans
alone have made bona fide effort
to wipe out this relict of the war tax,
and especially tax on tobacco, and
the Democratic House and the OFF,
GERS it elected have stood like stone
against any modification. The ex-
cuse will be!glven that Randall tried
to have the tobacco tax wiped out,
and was denied recognition by the
arbitrary ruling of the Speaker.
That is mere excuse, and will be
found lame and impotent when the
people examine it. The CORES.
pondence between the so-called
Democratic protectionist and the
Speaker disclosed the fact Randall
merely offered to make the motion
because he feared it would be made
by Republican. He knew.it and
the world knew that the measure
had no chance Of success except by
the almost unanimous vote the Re-
publicans augmented by the vote OF
u few boiling Democrats. A record
on the measure was the last thing
Mr.. Randall and his colleagues want
ed, and they chose the wisest way to
avoid it in the course they pursued.
The people of Virginia should study
well this action on the tobacco tax.
The closer it is investigated the
clearer it will show that no hope Of
relief remains to them as long as
Democratic House and President
hold control.
The passage OF the Blair Educa-
tional BIll,n the benefit Of which to
the children of the South cannot
be measured By words, was an
other promise made to be broken.
Twice was the bill passed by Re
publican Senate, and each time 1t
met its death in the House OF its
enemies.
Even the River and HarboT Billin
which Virginia and the South had
deep interest, failed to become law,
and the improvements now under